Influence of Long-term, Low-Dose, Diuretic-Based, Antihypertensive Therapy on Glucose, Lipid, Uric Acid, and Potassium Levels in Older Men and Women With Isolated Systolic HypertensionThe Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program

Abstract

ALTHOUGH diuretics and β-blockers lower blood pressure, reduce cardiovascular complications of hypertension, and are inexpensive, the recommendation that these drugs be used as primary agents for the treatment of hypertension¹ has been challenged.² In addition to their antihypertensive effects, diuretics have putatively adverse effects on levels of several other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, especially glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, uric acid, and potassium.^3-17 It has been speculated that these effects may explain the smaller benefit of antihypertensive therapy on coronary heart disease rates than expected from epidemiological data on blood pressure and coronary heart disease.¹⁸